Re: syllogism

From: Sergio Navega (snavega_at_intelliwise.com)
Date: 10/02/04 

Date: Sat, 2 Oct 2004 12:23:18 -0300

"patty" <pattyNO@SPAMicyberspace.net> escreveu na mensagem
news:zRw7d.292481$mD.268830@attbi_s02...
> David Longley wrote:
> > [big snip]
> > It's precisely because you (and others) think it's "a tempest in a tea
> > pot" that I started and ended the post as I did. Despite what you tell
> > yourself, you still don't appreciate where the above slip takes you,
> > even though "the lecture" provides a very clear warning, and despite me
> > having written thousands of posts which highlight consequences of the
> > failure to see it for what it is. Elevating it from a storm in a teacup
> > to a tempest in a teapot really just shows the extent to which you have
> > not grasped the scope of the problem. Read Hahn again, look at the date,
> > and think about what you're reading it on.
> >
>
> What difference does it make? Tell me that ! Give me an example of
> where calling something a property or calling it a class will make any
> difference whatsoever - all other things equal !

Patty, have you heard of the "madrassas" schools in Pakistan? Madrassas
are Islamic religious schools. Many Taliban followers were also "educated"
in such schools. The main activity in those schools is to "study" the
"holy book", the Koran. No student is allowed to question or inquire.
They have to read that and shove all that stuff into their poor little
minds. Several of them are excellent in providing lessons of intolerance.
Performance of students is measured in terms of how well one has memorized
the "holy text". No need to understand (in fact, there isn't a way to
understand anything, for the language is vague, elusive and subject to
many interpretations). All that is required from students is *belief*,
an unquestionable blind faith in what has been read. It is understandable
why questions aren't allowed: there's no way to "explain" things. It is
natural for us to find such "schools" (and their methods) abominable
and heinous.

We westerners are, fortunately, in a different situation, although
occasionally we find some pathetic exceptions. On the good side, some
of us have even had the priviledge of knowing teachers and mentors who
inspired our intellectual growth, teachers who impartially showed us
*both* sides of the story, and not only the one the teacher "likes most".

For these teachers, what is important is not to "tell the conclusion"
to the students. Such teachers are *not* "fountains of wisdom" being
poured into the minds of their pupils. No. What is important to these
teachers is to develop in the students the ability of reasoning *by
themselves*, of reaching justifiable and solid conclusions by their
own investigative efforts. Inquiry is not only allowed, it is
incentivized and commended. And it is always answered with crystal
clear answers.

Perhaps now you should be asking yourself what all this has to do with
your question above. You should see how relevant all this is when you
read carefully the "answer" you have received to you question. There's
no way to "grasp" it other than memorizing it. Here's a relevant
segment:

    "Look up intensional opacity again...... say to youself
    "Patty, you don't understand what's he's telling you...Patty,
    you really don't understand the scope of what he's telling you...
    Patty, he's telling you something which is more than just a
    bit scary..... perhaps that's why you don't understand it....
    you don't want to believe it."

You have two choices here: you enroll in "you know who's" madrassa and
start repeating his mantra, or you *refuse to believe* anything that's
thrown at you without proper explanation. In English. Not in a link
elsewhere. In simple terms. Without appeals to authorities, and without
rhetoric obfuscations. Clarity above all! You may even find yourself
turning into (god forbid! ;-) a radical behaviorist, I don't care, but
at least it will be something that *you* have reasoned, and not simply
"believed".

Sergio Navega

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